Apron for retaining articles on a bucket

ABSTRACT

An apron for a bucket having a plurality of pockets secured to the apron. The pockets are divided by means of pleats that may be either permanently or detachably secured to a backing web that forms the body of the apron. Snap fasteners or hook and loop strips may be used to provide a detachable divider between two adjacent pockets. The detachable divider between two adjacent pockets allows for the provision of a double width pocket to store larger articles. The apron may be provided with pockets of different depths to allow for convenient storage of longer and shorter articles in the apron.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a flexible article holder thatis adapted to be secured to a bucket.

[0003] 2. Background Art

[0004] Apron like article holders have been developed for supportingobjects on a bucket. Five gallon buckets are widely used by workmen fora variety of tasks. Such buckets are especially useful in holdingliquids or small articles and, for example, may be used by painters tohold paint, by maintenance workers to hold cleaners, or by consumers tohold water for washing a car or performing other tasks.

[0005] Recently, bucket aprons have been developed to hold tools,sponges, brushes, solvent containers, wax containers and the like.Generally these aprons have sets of identical pockets that are of thesame depth and have the same size openings. An average size pocket mayhave a top opening diameter of approximately 4 inches and a depth ofabout 6 inches. While this size pocket is useful to hold may differenttypes of objects some are articles may be too large to fit in thepockets. Other articles may be too long to fit securely within a pocketof limited depth.

[0006] There is a need for an apron for holding articles on a bucketthat permits different size objects to be conveniently retained withinthe pockets formed on the apron. There is also a need for an articleholder that provides different size pockets and reconfigurable pocketsthat broaden the potential applications for bucket aprons.

[0007] The above problems and needs are addressed by applicantsinvention as summarized below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] According to the present invention an article holder for a buckethaving a rim on an upper end thereof is provided. The article holderincludes a belt that is secured around the rim of the bucket and anapron that depends from and is secured to the belt. A plurality ofpockets are secured to the apron wherein at least two of the pocketshave a detachable connection that may be attached to the apron to formtwo pockets and may be detached from the apron to form one wider pocket.

[0009] The present invention may also be characterized as an articleholder for a bucket that has an upper end and pivoting handle secured tothe bucket near the upper end of the bucket. The article holder includesa first flexible web extending at least partially around the upper endof the bucket and being secured to the bucket adjacent to where thehandle is secured to the bucket. A second flexible web at leastpartially overlies the first flexible web and is connected at spacedlocations to the first flexible web to form pockets. At least some ofthe connections that form the pockets are detachable connections.

[0010] The present invention may also be described as an article holderwith a belt having a buckle for securing the belt to another object. Anapron hangs from and is secured to the belt. A plurality of pockets aresecured to the apron wherein at least two of the pockets have adetachable connection to the apron that may be attached to the apron toform two pockets and may be detached from the apron to form a singlepocket of increased width. According to another aspect of the inventionas described above the detachable connection may be either a hook andloop fastener strip or a snap fastener.

[0011] According to another aspect of the invention the pockets may beformed by a pleat located between two adjacent pockets that is securedto the apron. Each pleat may have a first segment of material extendingfrom a front portion of a first pocket to a second segment of materialthat is secured in an abutting relationship to the apron. A thirdsegment of material extends from the second segment of material to afront portion of a second pocket. The pleat may also be described as aZ-shaped fold and a reverse Z-shaped fold that are connected to eachother by a segment of material that is secured to the apron so that aZ-shaped fold and a reverse Z-shaped fold are formed on two adjacentpockets. The segment of material is secured to the apron between the twopockets may be detachably secured to the apron. Other segments ofmaterial secured to the apron between other pockets may be permanentlysecured to the apron by sewing, gluing or fastening the segment ofmaterial to the apron.

[0012] According to another aspect of the invention first and secondsets of pockets may be provided on the apron with one set of pocketsbeing deeper than the other set of pockets.

[0013] According to another aspect of the invention the pocketspreferably extend transversely relative to the belt and at least two ofthe pockets that are not separated by the attachable connection have asewn connection to the apron and are divided from each other by the sewnconnection. The pockets having the detachable connection may bedetachably secured to the apron at an upper end of the pockets with noconnection to the apron below the detachable connection.

[0014] These and other aspects and features of the invention will bereadily understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in view of theattached drawings and following detailed description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015]FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an article holder for abucket.

[0016]FIG. 2 is a closeup of the detachable hook and loop fastenerstrips taken in the circle “2” of FIG. 1.

[0017]FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of a bucket having anarticle holder secured thereto.

[0018]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of an article holder havinga detachable snap fastener.

[0019]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an article holder for a buckethaving pockets of different depths.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

[0020] Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, one embodiment of the apron 10 of thepresent invention is shown secured to a bucket 12 having a handle 14.The handle 14 is secured to the bucket 12 near the rim 15 at the upperend of the bucket 12. The apron 10 includes a belt 16, or strap, that isused to secure the apron 10 over the handle 14 of the bucket 12.

[0021] The apron 10 includes mesh fabric pockets 18 that are secured toa backing web 20 that is preferably formed of a canvas like material.The pockets 18 are secured to the apron 10 by an anchored segment 22 ofthe mesh fabric making up the pockets 18. Pleats 24 are formed betweenadjacent pockets 18 that facilitate expansion of the pockets 18 to holdarticles in the apron 10. The pleats 24 are formed by a Z-shaped fold 26and a reverse Z-shaped fold 28 that interconnect a front face 30 of eachpocket 18 and the anchored segments 22. The pockets have an upper edge32 that is preferably covered or reinforced by an upper edge trim 34.

[0022] At least one of the anchored segments 22 between two adjacentpockets 18 are anchored by means of a hook strip 36 and loop strip 38that provide a detachable connection between adjacent pockets 18. Thehook and loop strips 36, 38 may be detached from one another to make adouble wide pocket that permits storage of a larger items such as alarge sponge or larger tool than could be accommodated in a singlepocket 18.

[0023] Referring now to FIG. 4, an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention is shown wherein a first snap fastener 40 and a second snapfastener 42 are used instead of the hook and loop strips 36, 38 of theembodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3. The snap fasteners may be securedtogether to form two adjacent pockets 18. The first and second snapfasteners 40, 42 may also be detached from each other to provide adouble width pocket 18. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a sewn seam 44 isprovided between other pairs of pockets 18 to provide adjacent pocketshaving a non-detachable pleat 24. The outer most pockets 18 of the apron10 are secured to the backing web 20 by means of a vertical hem 48 thatis covered by a vertical trim piece 50. The bottom of the pockets 18 arepreferably sewn to the backing web 20 on their lower edges.

[0024] Referring now to FIG. 5, another embodiment of the invention isshown wherein an apron having pockets 18 formed on one part of the apron10 that span approximately ⅔ of the height of the apron 10. Deep pockets52 are provided on another section of the apron 10. The deep pockets 52are provided as part of a rear apron 54. The deep pockets 52 span morethan ¾ of the height of the rear apron 54 and are provided to allow forstorage of longer articles. An upper edge trim 56 is provided on anupper edge 58 of the deep pockets 52. The deep pockets 52 are secured ina manner similar to the pockets 18 as previously described. The deeppockets 52 may be provided with a detachable pleat similar to the pleat24 described with reference to the pockets 18.

[0025] While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate anddescribe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used inthe specification are words of description rather than limitation, andit is understood that various changes may be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An article holder for a bucket comprising: a beltsecured around the bucket; an apron depending from and secured to thebelt; a plurality of pockets secured to the apron; and at least two ofthe pockets having a detachable connection to the apron that may beattached to the apron to form two pockets and may be detached from theapron to form one wider pocket.
 2. The article holder of claim 1 whereinthe detachable connection is a hook and loop fastener strip.
 3. Thearticle holder of claim 1 wherein the detachable connection is a snapfastener.
 4. The article holder of claim 1 wherein the pockets areformed by a pleat located between two adjacent pockets that is securedto the apron.
 5. The article holder of claim 4 wherein each pleat has afirst segment of material extending from a front portion of first pocketto a second segment of material that is secured in an abuttingrelationship to the apron, a third segment of material extending fromthe second segment of material to a front portion of a second pocket. 6.The article holder of claim 4 wherein the pleat is formed by a Z-shapedfold and a reverse Z-shaped fold that are connected to each other by asegment of material that is secured to the apron, wherein the Z-shapedfold and the reverse Z-shaped fold are formed on two adjacent pockets,respectively.
 7. The article holder of claim 6 wherein the segment ofmaterial secured to the apron between at least two of the pockets isdetachably secured to the apron.
 8. The article holder of claim 7wherein the segment of material secured to the apron between otherpockets is permanently secured to the apron.
 9. The article holder ofclaim 1 wherein a first set of pockets are deeper than a second set ofpockets.
 10. An article holder for a bucket having an upper end and apivoting handle secured to the bucket near the upper end of the bucketcomprising: a first flexible web extending at least partially around theupper end of the bucket and being secured to the bucket where the handleis secured to the bucket; a second flexible web at least partiallyoverlying the first flexible web and having connections at spacedlocations to the first flexible web to form pockets; and wherein atleast some of the connections are detachable connections.
 11. Thearticle holder of claim 10 wherein the first flexible web is cloth andthe second flexible web is a mesh fabric.
 12. The article holder ofclaim 10 wherein the detachable connection is a hook and loop fastenerstrip.
 13. The article holder of claim 10 wherein the detachableconnection is a snap fastener.
 14. An article holder comprising: a belthaving a buckle for securing the belt to another object; an apronhanging from and secured to the belt; a plurality of pockets secured tothe apron; and at least two of the pockets having a detachableconnection to the apron that may be attached to the apron to form twopockets and may be detached from the apron to form a pocket of increasedwidth.
 15. The article holder of claim 14 wherein the detachableconnection is a hook and loop fastener strip.
 16. The article holder ofclaim 14 wherein the detachable connection is a snap fastener.
 17. Thearticle holder of claim 14 wherein the pockets extend transverselyrelative to the belt and at least two of the pockets that are notseparated by a detachable connection have a sewn connection to the apronand are divided from each other by the sewn connection.
 18. The articleholder of claim 17 wherein the pockets having the detachable connectionare detachably secured to the apron at an upper end of the pockets andhave no connection to the apron below the detachable connection.
 19. Thearticle holder of claim 14 wherein a first set of pockets are deeperthan a second set of pockets.